Riga Freeport remains deaf to the recommendations provided by State Audit to improve financial transparency, said State Auditor Elita Krūmiņa in her interview to Rīta Panorāma programme of LTV.

BNN had previously reported that State Audit had uncovered countless administrative offences at Riga Freeport during its last audit there. Over the course of 2009-2011 officials of Riga Freeport managed to misappropriate more than LVL 41 million.

Last spring, Riga City Council refused to decide on Leonid Loginov’s dismissal, saying that it is necessary to await results of inspections carried out by law enforcement authorities. Loginov was later paid a bonus of LVL 48,000.

The anger of SA about this whole mess only increased later, in September, when a meeting of Saeima Public Expenditure and Audit Committee was cancelled (it was originally planned to review results of the inspection at Riga Freeport during that meeting). There were not enough Saeima deputies to hold the meeting.

According to Krūmiņa, this means RF either cannot or does not want to introduce recommendations.

Even Transport Ministry has shown nearly no support for State Audit, as reported by lsm.lv.

The police remained unheard as well because of the failed meeting last September. Police have beeт investigating multiple offences that were uncovered by State Audit at Riga Freeport, including preferential treatment for specific entrepreneurs. It is also possible the Board of Riga Freeport has been using an unfair and illegal bonus and donations system.

BNN had previously reported that Latvian State Auditor Elita Krūmiņa hopes it will be possible to uproot the lawlessness of Riga Freeport in the future.

In her interview to ‘Krustpunktā’ programme of Latvijas Radio, Krūmiņa mentioned that activities that transpire at Riga Freeport can be described by the principle of lawlessness. This is why she plans to keep up the barrage and follow closely all economic activities that are performed there.

‘I hope that this principle of lawlessness will be uprooted in the future,’ – she said.

In 2017, the State Revenue Service (SRS) performed a total of 989 inspections at 212 catering companies. This includes 182 thematic inspections for 125 taxpayers. Violations were uncovered in 169 inspections. The most common violation was manipulation with cash registers, according to information published by SRS.

Latvia’s Finance and Capital Market Commission (FCMC) has plans to perform an additional investigation at ABLV Bank in the next couple of weeks, says the commission’s manager Pēters Putniņš, adding that no operational restrictions have been applied to the bank so far.

60% of Latvian residents feel happy. Although this is a good index, there has been a general decline of the sense of happiness, according to a study performed by Amigo mobile network operator and SKDS to assess the level of happiness of Latvian residents.

A raid was performed by the State Revenue Service and Riga Municipal Police to check taxi service providers in the capital. Authorities uncovered a total of 81 violations in 48 cases, BNN was informed by SRS.

The decision by US Finance Ministry’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to apply sanctions against ABLV Bank for involvement in money laundering schemes and bribery of officials was not a surprise. It is a sign for acute need to continue improving investigative and supervisory institutions’ ability to prevent money laundering through Latvia, as noted by Delna – Society for Openness.

The existing income tax scheme in Estonia should be simplified, three parties in the Estonian Riigikogu find, but there are differences in opinion as to maintaining the current state budget income. Meanwhile, the opposition Reform Party has voiced backing for an annual tax-free income of 6,000 a year to every earner.

In the atmosphere of the March Russian presidential election, social network Instagram has submitted to the demands of Russia's internet censorship body and blocked in the country content with corruption claims voiced by Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.

On Friday, 16 February, weather in Latvia will be dictated by a small cyclone, which will approach the country from Sweden. Because of that, the sky will be cloudy and snowfall will come to many areas. The cyclone will not be strong. With that, wind speed will remain relatively slow, as reported by Latvian State Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre.

In order to tell it, one needs to know the past and the presence. Yet the predicting how the centennial celebrations-engulfed Lithuania will look like in another hundred years is not easy at all even for political and business pundits.

To invite officials to explain the illegal decision in regards to the mutual agreement between Rīgas satiksme’s and Rīgas mikroautobusu satiksme’s, political party For Latvia’s Development urges opposition factions of Riga City Council to call an extraordinary meeting of the Transport Committee, as confirmed by the party.

Latvia’s cosmetics market is worth approximately EUR 160 million. Similar to Europe, skin and hair care products are the most popular ones. The smallest market proportion is occupied by decorative cosmetics, according to data from Latvian Cosmetic Manufacturers Association (LCMA).

We have seen interference «from above» in RB Rail’s activities. The law was not breached, however. With that, there was no need to report anything to law enforcement institutions, RB Rail CEO Baiba Rubesa told Ir magazine.

Latvian Economy Minister Arvils Ašeradens has to fix the mistakes that have caused electricity bills to increase, said chairman of Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia Egils Baldzēns in an interview to 900 seconds programme of LNT.

Saku and A. Le Coq, two largest beer makers in Estonia have not published their exact sales numbers for the last year, but have been quick in stating that about one third of all beer drunk in Estonia was purchased in Latvia.

In the U.S., a high school has been attacked in the state of Florida, where gunshots have taken the lives of 17 people. Local police has detained a suspect – a 19-year-old man, who had been expelled from the same school.